During the Late Miocene, numerous medium to large-sized herbivores, that resemble the living Ovibos in skeletal morphology, dispersed throughout the Holarctic realm and comprised eleven genera: Lantiantragus, Shaanxispira, Tsaidamotherium, Criotherium, Mesembriacerus, Hezhengia, Urmiatherium, Parurmiatherium, Plesiaddax, Sinotragus, and Prosinotragus. These genera are primarily found in eastern Asia, in which nine genera are found in northern China, as well as in countries in eastern Europe and western Asia. They are distinguished by unique characteristics, including a perpendicular braincase, specialized horn cores, and a robust basioccipital. Previous studies have often classified these ‘ovibovin’ bovids as part of the conventional subfamily/tribe Ovibovinae/Ovibovini, along with extant Ovibos. Nevertheless, an increasing number of studies do not support the monophyly of the subfamily/tribe Ovibovinae/Ovibovini, nor is a close relationship likely between these Late Miocene ‘ovibovin’ bovids and extant Ovibos. Among the eleven genera of ‘ovibovin’ bovids, Plesiaddax, Hezhengia, and Urmiatherium are often considered to have a very close relationship and conventionally form the tribe Urmiatheriini. However, previous phylogenetic analyses do not support the monophyly of Urmiatheriini. This paper presents a summary of the transmutation of the terms Ovibovidae/Ovibovinae/Ovibovini/Ovibovina, the temporal and spatial distribution of the Late Miocene ‘ovibovin’ bovids in Eurasia, the principal characteristics of these taxa, and the previous phylogenetic analyses.
